Drivers washing their car outside their house this week have been issued a warning that they could be breaking the law.
It’s been a gloriously sunny week across the UK with a yellow weather warning from the Met Office and millions up and down the country have been taking advantage, getting outside and washing all the July rainwater off their cars ready to finally enjoy the 32C summer weather.
But previous guidance issued around the dangers of washing your car in the street has led some to question the legalities of it, and ask if it’s still safe to do so.
The Environment Agency said in pollution guidance: “Effluent and run-off from vehicle washing and cleaning activities can damage the environment and pollute rivers, streams, burns and groundwater. Dirt, brake dust, traffic film residue and oil that is washed off are all pollutants.
“The cleaning agents you use (including those labelled biodegradable or traffic film removers) are very poisonous to river life. If you cause pollution, you are breaking the law and spoiling your environment.”
But the advice has since been withdrawn, and now it has left car owners wondering what the legalities are around washing your car in the street.
Posting on a UK car subreddit, one user asked: “Automatic car washes aren’t really an option. I know it’s ok to wash in the driveway but I currently live in a place where I have to wash the car on the street. Is this legal? I’ve seen arguments on both sides on the internet.”
The general consensus is that it is legal but you must be mindful of pedestrians and trip hazards – and the run-off waste water shouldn’t be put down street drains. That’s because drains in the street are storm drains connected to water supplies, while the drains around your house are for waste water and sewerage.
u/adstreet8083 said: “Haven’t ever had any issues but do everything you can to prevent trip hazards.. Don’t trail hoses across the pavement, for example.”
u/stealthw0lf said: “Back when I used to live in a house with a garage but no driveway, I had to park on the main road outside the house and run everything (hosepipe, pressure washer etc) from the garage. I was always mindful of any pedestrians and made sure there were no trip hazards. I’d also try to be courteous to pedestrians and stop using the hosepipe or pressure washer if someone was walking in my vicinity so they wouldn’t get showered.
“I tried to avoid traffic by washing my car on a Sunday morning (7am start). There were maybe four cars in an hour at that time. I had a hose extension for the pressure washer so I could keep it in the garage to minimise noise.
“The only issue is that the run off should not enter storm drains. I never got into trouble for it but I could easily have done so. I did look into a thingamajig that was like a large paddle pool. You would park your car in it, wash it, collect the water and pour it away properly. It was prohibitively expensive.
“In winter, the local supermarket had some Karcher wash bays where you could wash your car. I would take my own buckets, wash mitts, drying towels etc and wash the car in the bay, paying only for the water to pressure rinse everything.”
